Learning Log

Production Techniques

11/12/2017 - Bass Guitar Layering

Learned how to layer multiple bass guitars to create a central, focused low end and a more spread mid/high end.

Record bassline completely clean (gate and compressor on input). Tone should be shaped only with guitar controls. The compressor will control the amount of click in the transient.

Create a new patch that will serve as the upper quality of the sound. This should run through some form of drive or distortion to make it pop. The more aggressive the overall song, the more distortion should be used.

The final module in the patch should be a very short delay to create a Haas effect. The width of the effect can be controlled by altering the Mix parameter.

Next, re-amp the clean recording through the new patch into a stereo audio track.

Note: During the composition process, it's better to only use the re-amp patch WITHOUT the delay. The mono will keep the low end centre focused. This also means the re-amp patch can be tweaked throughout the composition. When it comes to re-recording, the patch will already be created, so you simply have to record the clean bass and then re-amp it through in stereo.